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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mark — a grade
  5. snap — to click
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mug — a face
  8. chest — of your body
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — a permit
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mug — to rob
  16. chest — a box
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ball — a great time
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. swing — in golf
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mug — a cup
  24. swing — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com